Decision makers

Tell the Senate to protect polar bears

Polar bears are fighting for their lives as they are faced with melting sea ice, habitat degradation, and needless exploitation.

The U.S. Senate is poised to vote on a dangerous bill called the Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act of 2014 (S. 1996) that, if passed, will undermine years of protection for polar bears and other animals. The bill contains several radical hunting proposals, including one that will allow the import of 41 sport-hunted polar bear trophies from Canada, despite the fact that polar bears are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

Other deeply distressing provisions of S. 1996 would require federal agencies to open up millions of acres of public lands to hunting and trapping and would no longer allow the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate toxic lead or any other toxic substance used in ammunition or fishing equipment.

Urge your Senator to vote “no” on S. 1996 today. We have prepared a template email for you to send. If you prefer, you can personalize this copy to make it more effective. Please ensure that you are polite at all times.

As a constituent concerned about the polar bears, I urge you to vote “no” on S. 1996.

If passed, S.1996 will undermine years of protection for polar bears and other animals. The bill contains several radical hunting proposals, including one that will allow the import of 41 sport-hunted polar bear trophies from Canada, despite the fact that polar bears are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. This type of Congressional waiver sends a dangerous message that hunters can get trophies even after a species is listed.

Other deeply distressing provisions of S. 1996 would require federal agencies to open up millions of acres of public lands to hunting and trapping and would no longer allow the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate toxic lead or any other toxic substance used in ammunition or fishing equipment.

Please vote “no” on S. 1996 and help defeat this extreme and reckless bill.